Former Pancheros Employee Says He Recorded Women’s Bathroom Videos for Sexual Pleasure

Sam Hagen, 18, is accused of using his cell phone to record video of women in the Moorhead Pancheros

MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Moorhead community was caught by surprise after an investigation of a former employee at a local restaurant ends in charges.

Eighteen–year–old Sam Hagen is out of jail after allegedly using his cell phone to record women in the bathroom at Pancheros in Moorhead.

Hagen is a Moorhead High School senior who had been working at Pancheros for nearly a year.

A female customer allegedly found Hagen’s cell phone in the women’s restroom back on May 5th.

“Using his cell phone, in a women’s bathroom, he had reportedly taped his cell phone with the video recording in a position under the sink so that it would capture females as they entered the bathroom and used the toilet,” said Lt. Tory Jacobson of the Moorhead Police Department.

According to court documents, Hagen told investigators he recorded the videos for his “sexual pleasure” and that he had been fired from a previous job for a similar offense.

But in that case, the police weren’t contacted.

Pancheros management decline to speak on camera, but they say the public can feel safe in their restaurant and they’re taking steps to make sure that this situation won’t happen again.

Management said Hagen was fired immediately after the cell phone was brought to their attention and they are increasing inspections of their restaurant.

“Across the country, these kinds of things can happen with the access and the easy ability for someone to use their video recorders on their smartphones,” said Jacobson.

Hagen is charged with two gross misdeameanors and one felony charge of interfering with privacy because one of the three alleged victims was a minor.

Hagen faces up to five years in prison and up to a $14,000 fine if convicted.